Logan Christensen, 39, is charged with vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, operating while under the influence, and failure to obey a stop sign in a November 2023 crash that killed 13-year-old Kyle Hilbert, of Hardy, and severely injured his mother, Sara Sanga.

According to court documents, Sanga was driving a Toyota Camry northbound on Union Avenue in Webster County on Nov. 27, 2023. Hilbert was sitting in the passenger seat as they made their way back to their home in Hardy following a doctor’s appointment in Fort Dodge. Christensen was traveling westbound on 110th Street in a Ram pickup when he failed to stop at a stop sign, hitting Sanga’s Toyota in the front passenger area and pushing it into the ditch where the vehicle struck a power pole. Christensen’s vehicle again hit Sanga’s car causing it to roll onto its hood where it came to rest.

“Both Sanga and Hilbert were wearing their seatbelts,” said Webster County First Assistant County Attorney Brad McIntyre in opening statements. “(Hilbert) was killed as a result of blunt force trauma from the collision. Sanga was Life Flighted to Des Moines with a head injury, broken ankle, and broken ribs. She lost consciousness and had to be intubated and is still affected to this day from her injuries. Mr. Christensen stated to law enforcement that he was driving the truck and stated that prior to driving he had consumed alcohol, ‘two captain and cokes,’ mixed drinks. Mr. Christensen was intoxicated.”

According to court records, Christensen’s blood test results came back positive for cocaine and THC, and indicated a blood alcohol content of .041. A blood alcohol content of .08 is presumed intoxicated under Iowa law.

“You will hear evidence that the defendant, in that red pickup truck at the time leading up to the collision, never braked, never slowed down for the stop sign,” McIntyre told jurors. “He entered the roadway and caused the collision that killed Kyle Hilbert. You will hear evidence that at the time Mr. Christensen was intoxicated.”

Defense attorney Christine Branstad told jurors that her client did not dispute the collision, but did dispute the criminal charges filed against him.

“It is tragic that a life was lost, but this isn’t about whether or not there was an accident,” Branstad told jurors. “It isn’t about whether or not this is a sad case because it is. It’s a criminal charge specific to intoxication and the cause of the collision. There is a lot of evidence to look through. I ask that you wait all the way until you get to the jury room and then look at what the instructions are and what the evidence is.”

Following opening statements, the state called Iowa State Patrol Technical Investigator Trooper Joshua Missman and Iowa State Patrol Collision Reconstructionist Trooper Ben Miller.

Missman testified that the power pole that Sanga’s car impacted had been severed at ground level and was being held up only by the wires. He stated that he saw and photographed the “child, a young boy” who was laying on the ground between the two vehicles. First responders had extricated Hilbert for lifesaving efforts, but he was declared dead at the scene. Missman also testified that when doing a vehicle investigation, a beer bottle was found in Christensen’s truck.